Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ House of Cards ❯ Turtles ( Chapter 13 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Hello everyone, sorry it took so long to get this done. No real excuses, other than I used to write during JoJo's Circus, but now my computer is in the same room as the TV. And having Seto sing, "Hey JoJo what do you say, we would like to know what you learned today..." doesn't quite work.


Thanks again to all of my reviewers.


*******
Jounouchi knocked on the door to Yugi's room. "Yug, I'm leaving for work. You need anything before I go?"

Yugi turned over and yelled, "No, go away," at the door. In the back of his mind, he heard Yami sigh.

*You aren't being fair, Aibou.*

*Yeah, well life's not fair. I should know.*

*Jounouchi doesn't want to hurt you. He's just worried about you. As am I.*

*I'm fine Yami. I just...hurt. I just bring disaster wherever I go. I don't want to do that again. I don't want to do it to my friends. I don't want it to happen to me again.*

*Yugi, you don't.*

*Yami. Just leave me alone.*

*Aibou...* Yami was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

"Hey, Yug, Gramps is here. I gotta run."

"Yugi? Can I come in?" Yugi's grandfather asked before pushing the door open.

"Ok," Yugi responded, wishing with all his might that he wouldn't stay long.

Sugoroku entered the room and sat down next to his grandson on the bed. Yugi turned to look at him. He gathered the young man into his arms and held him. After sitting like that for a few minutes, he pulled Yugi away from him and looked at him.

"Yugi. I miss having you with me at work. The game shop is busy this time of year, and I would like some help. Do you think you're almost ready to come back?"

"Grandpa, I'm scared." Tears rolled down his face, and he buried his eyes in his grandfather's chest. "I'm so scared."

"Yugi, I'm not going to push you. I know that you will come back whenever you are ready." He switched subjects suddenly. "Did I ever tell you why I named the shop after a turtle?"

Wiping the tears from his face he looked at the gray-haired man, and giggled despite himself. "Huh? I always thought it was because it was in the shape of a turtle."

"Because a turtle can teach us a lot about life."

"To only lay eggs on one beach?"

Sugoroku chuckled. "If a turtle wants to go anywhere, he has to stick his head out. If he leaves his head in his shell, he won't be able to eat, or grow, or move."

"What if the turtle is afraid of danger, and can't put his head out?"

"Then the turtle will starve."

"Grandpa, I understand, but I...I'm not ready."

"I know. I'll be there when you are." He wrinkled his nose. "If you promise to bathe first. When was the last time you took a shower?"

Yugi looked down at the shirt he had been wearing the last few days. "I...um..uh...a week?"

"Then I shall let you take a shower, and I will go back to my home. Yugi, if you want to talk to me..."

"I know Grandpa, I know."

*******

It had been two weeks since Sugoroku visited Yugi. For a few days, Yugi had seemed a little better, and then he had fallen back into his depression. He hardly moved, save to use the bathroom, and occasionally eat. Jounouchi was at his wits end with his best friend. If Yugi wouldn't listen to his grandfather, who would he listen to?

Jounouchi put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. He tried to think of someone who could be just as stubborn as Yugi was being. Jounouchi slapped his head, he knew who it was he should call, and he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier.

*******

Yugi's door opened, but Yugi didn't turn to see who it was. "Go away, I'm sleeping."

"Get up."

Yugi turned towards the door. "What?"

"Get up."

Yugi blinked at Seto. "Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

"At the moment, I am here telling you to get up."

"I don't want to. I'm tired."

"Bullshit, Yugi. You've been in bed for months for the most part. Get up."

"No."

Seto went up to the bed and pulled the covers off the smaller man.

"Go away! What do you care if I get up or not?"

Seto slapped him, hard. Then said through clenched teeth, "Get up. Now."

Shaking, Yugi got up.

"Now, you will take a shower."

Yugi bit back another response, and rubbed his sore cheek. He shuffled off to the bathroom, followed by Seto. "Can I have some privacy?"

"Do I have your word that you won't do anything stupid?"

Yugi's eyes widened. "Y...yes."

"Then, yes, you may have some privacy. You have ten minutes. Now, take a shower."

Yugi got into the shower. He had never been so afraid of Kaiba as he was now. He turned the water as hot as it would go, and started scrubbing himself raw. There was a knock on the door, and Kaiba gave him a two minute warning. Reluctantly, Yugi turned off the scalding water, and pulled a towel around himself.

He called out to Kaiba, "I forgot to bring in clothes."

"Then come out in the towel."

Yugi covered himself with the towel. Tears streamed down his face, and he walked out of the bathroom. Seto stopped outside of the bedroom, and told him to get dressed.

Yugi pulled on a black shirt and pants, and pulled a navy blue jacket on over his shirt. He put the buckle around his neck, and left the room. Looking at Kaiba, he asked where they were going.

"You'll see."

*********


The Turtle thing comes from my choir director and friend, Paula Baack. The woman has an obsession with turtles, and that's the reason. Any time a person in our choir takes a risk they get a turtle. So, thanks Paula for the idea. (Even though I know she won't be reading this.